For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

ISAIAH 54:3KJV
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Isaiah 54:3 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 54:3 mean?

Isaiah 54:3 promises that those being addressed will expand and flourish, spreading out in every direction, and that their descendants will possess other nations and restore deserted cities. The verse paints a picture of growth, influence, and renewal after a time of loss or emptiness.

In Isaiah 54:3, the prophet Isaiah is speaking God's words to the people of Israel, who had experienced hardship and exile. The verse uses images of breaking out to the right and left, inheriting nations, and making ruined cities livable again to show a future of hope and restoration. This message comes in a chapter full of encouragement after suffering.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 54:3

  • "forth" (פָּרַץ, pārats): This word means to break out or burst forth, suggesting a sudden and energetic expansion, not just a gentle spreading.
  • "Gentiles" (גּוֹיִם, goyim): This word means "nations" or "peoples," and here it refers to non-Israelite nations, highlighting the broad scope of the promised inheritance.
  • "desolate" (שָׁמֵם, shāmēm): This word means laid waste or deserted, emphasizing that the cities to be inhabited were once empty and lifeless, making the promise of renewal more striking.

Why Isaiah 54:3 matters

  • Isaiah 54:3 clarifies that the restoration God promises is not just personal or local but involves a wide-reaching renewal, including influence over other nations and the rebuilding of ruined places.
  • The verse connects to the larger theme of Isaiah 54, which is about comfort and hope for people who have felt abandoned or devastated, assuring them of a future reversal.
  • Understanding the original words helps highlight the intensity of the promised change—from bursting out energetically to transforming empty, ruined cities into places full of life.

Where else these words appear

“forth” Hebrew H6555 · used in 48 verses

  • Genesis 28:14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
  • 2 Kings 14:13 And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Bethshemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
  • Nehemiah 4:7 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth,

“left” Hebrew H8040 · used in 53 verses

  • Genesis 13:9 Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.
  • Judges 3:21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:
  • 2 Chronicles 18:18 Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the LORD; I saw the LORD sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.

“desolate” Hebrew H8074 · used in 87 verses

  • Leviticus 26:22 I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your high ways shall be desolate.
  • Isaiah 54:1 Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.
  • Ezekiel 28:19 All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.

“hand” Hebrew H3225 · used in 133 verses

  • Genesis 13:9 Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.
  • 1 Kings 2:19 Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand.
  • Psalms 108:6 That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me.